


The Trouble with Falling

by mudslide_sailor



Category: Frozen (Disney Movies)
Genre: Action/Adventure, F/F, Fluff and Angst, Lots of magic!, Magic, Post-Frozen 2 (2019), So Much Magic!, elsamaren
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-01-12
Updated: 2020-01-12
Packaged: 2021-02-26 18:48:11
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 3
Words: 4,179
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21913300
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/mudslide_sailor/pseuds/mudslide_sailor
Summary: Honeymaren gave Elsa a look, a look that made Elsa’s heart race even faster than it already was. She gently let go of Elsa and snuggled back into her blankets.“Well, I’m going to bed. I’ll see you in the morning for whatever your secret spirit mission is. Goodnight!”Elsa crawled back over to her side of the tent, wrapping up in blankets as well. The blankets didn’t seem to warm her up at all; she was already warmer than she had ever been.“Goodnight,” she whispered, closing her eyes.Elsa takes Honeymaren on an adventure in the Enchanted Forest, but things don't go exactly as planned.
Relationships: Elsa/Honeymaren (Disney)
Comments: 19
Kudos: 115





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> What is up my party people! This is my first ever fic on AO3, so please leave some comments down below on what you think. Thanks for checking this out, and I hope you enjoy!

A harsh, blustery wind whistled through the trees. Snow flurried through the air, cold and unforgiving. A lone figure stood amongst the black trees, a long cape whipping behind them. They were motionless, staring through the night with a fierce intensity. The sound of boots crushing snow came from behind them, and they whirled around in surprise.

“Whoa, there,” a shadow exclaimed, raising his hands in front of his face. A blast of cold hurtled towards the nearest tree, exploding in a cascade of ice.

The figure took a step back.

“Sorry.”

“Elsa, thank goodness! We’ve been looking all over for you.”

The shadows finally took shape and Elsa recognized them as Honeymaren and Ryder.

Honeymaren took a step towards the lone woman standing in the woods. “Where have you been?”

Elsa’s face burned red. She hadn’t meant to almost freeze Ryder, and she hadn’t meant to be out this late. The woods could just be so confusing and trying to find the small Northuldra encampment proved to be as hard as finding a needle in a haystack.

“I…I…”

Honeymaren reached out and placed a hand on Elsa’s shoulder.

“You okay?” she asked, her voice soft and earnest.

Elsa felt the red in her cheeks deepen. She cracked a sideways grin, her eyes staring at the ground.

“I may have gotten…” She paused, sighing deeply. “I may have gotten a bit lost?”

She bit her lip and looked up at Ryder and Honeymaren. They stood in front of her, buried beneath layers of clothing. Ryder grinned at Elsa, his lips quivering from the cold.

“Hey, it’s fine. Happens to me all the time.”

Elsa let out a nervous laugh, wrapping her arms around her chest. Honeymaren took another step forward, leaning to whisper in Elsa’s ear.

“It’s true. I found him in the Earth Giant’s land yesterday when he was supposed to be herding reindeer to the lichen fields.” She walked back to Ryder, bonking him on the back of the head with her fist. “This man has no sense of direction.”

“Hey!” Ryder reached a hand up, rubbing the spot Honeymaren hit. “That hurt.” His voice had taken on a tone of resentment, but the grin on his face said otherwise.

“Yelena says a blizzard’s coming in,” Honeymaren said. She turned her head and stared at the icy weather that surrounded them.

Elsa opened her mouth, but before she could speak Honeymaren held out her hand.

“I know you say the cold doesn’t bother you, but Ryder and I would feel a lot better if you came back before the storm?” Her voice lilted upwards, a question hanging in the air. Ryder grinned beside her, his hat slightly off-kilter from Honeymaren’s whack.

“When Yelena says a storm is coming, it means a BIG storm is coming.”

Elsa ran a hand through her hair. She let out a deep sigh, her shoulders relaxing in the action.

“Okay. Sorry I made you guys look for me. I really didn’t mean to end up here, but the forest is so…”

She trailed off, her eyes catching on something in the distance. A light flickered in the night, like a candle in the dark. The light jumped and landed on a tree. It jumped again, and again. With a plop, the light landed in Elsa’s hair.

“Bruni! What are you doing out here?” Elsa asked, holding her hand up for the spirit to climb on.

The small blue lizard waddled off her hair and into her outstretched hand, little clouds of steam rising as he settled into her skin. He let out a happy chirp and closed his eyes.

“Looks like someone wants to head back with us as well,” Honeymaren giggled, reaching out to pet the lizard. Bruni opened his eyes briefly, staring up at Honeymaren. He let his tongue loll out of his head and licked his eye.

“Whoa, gross!” Ryder exclaimed, leaning in to look closer.

“Looks like you’ve got quite the audience, buddy,” Elsa whispered to the lizard. “Do you think we should head back in?”

The lizard hopped into the air, his back igniting in a purple flame. He gurgled and wagged his tail.

“Looks like a yes.”

Elsa set the spirit on her shoulder. She sent a smile to Honeymaren and Ryder.

“So, is the village this way?” Elsa pointed towards where Bruni had come from.

Honeymaren laughed, her voice deep and bell-like. She threw an arm over Elsa’s shoulder, turning her in the opposite direction.

“I can see now how you got lost,” she chuckled again.

Elsa felt the heat return to her face. Honeymaren’s arm felt warm against her shoulder. A tingling sensation started in the pit of her stomach as Honeymaren gently guided her back home. Despite the freezing storm, Elsa had never felt warmer.

o o o

The fire in the center of the village crackled merrily, sending a cheery glow throughout the forest. Honeymaren held Elsa’s hand as she led her towards her goahti.

“Oh, isn’t that yours?” Elsa asked, taking a step back as they approached the tent. She let go of Honeymaren’s hand and the warmth in her chest seemed to vanish.

A smile spread across Honeymaren’s face.

“C’mon, just for tonight. If you stay anywhere else, you might freeze to death!”

As she spoke, her breath puffed out in clouds.

“Honeymaren, you know it doesn’t- “

“Nope! No excuses. You’re staying with me tonight.” Honeymaren latched onto Elsa again, steering her straight into her goahti.

Elsa giggled, throwing her hands up in defeat.

“Fine, but just for tonight.”

Honeymaren held the door open. “No promises.”

The inside of the tent was warm. A small fire burned in the center, only embers at this point. The ground was covered in furs. Honeymaren took a step inside and beckoned Elsa in after her. Elsa gingerly closed the door.

Honeymaren flopped onto one of the furs, letting out a long sigh.

“Today’s been a big day,” she groaned, wrapping herself in a thick fur blanket.

Elsa took a seat on the far side of the tent, her back straight as a rod.

Honeymaren threw an arm over her eyes.

“I can’t believe I’m gonna have to wake up early tomorrow and do it all over again!” She let out another sigh.

Elsa couldn’t help but chuckle. Honeymaren looked just like Anna, sprawled out on the ground with a million complaints to share. There was something else too, something that kept Elsa’s eyes glued on the woman. The warmth returned to her chest and she felt her back-muscles loosen up. Tentatively, she scooted closer to Honeymaren.

“You know, as the fifth spirit, I could take you out for an important mission tomorrow. One that would involve you sleeping in a bit in the morning.” Elsa smiled, staring at the ground.

Honeymaren sat up.

“Wait, are you serious? You would do that for me?”

Elsa shrugged, turning her gaze to meet Honeymaren’s.

“Why not? I figure you could use a break.” She bit her lip, staring expectantly at Honeymaren.

“Oh my gosh yes!” She cried out. In a flash, she had closed the gap between Elsa and herself and thrown her arms around her.

Elsa felt her heart leap in her chest. Sudden dizziness washed over her and the tingling in her stomach returned. She smiled weakly, leaning into the hug.

Something cold landed on her cheek. Glancing up, she saw that snow had begun to fall inside the goahti. Honeymaren looked up too. She looked at Elsa with a confused smirk.

“What’s this about?” she asked, her eyebrows raising slightly.

Elsa’s face turned bright red, and she could feel the heat move from her chest to her cheeks.

“I’m really sorry. Let me take care of that.”

Elsa waved her hand, and the snow dissipated.

Honeymaren gave Elsa a look, a look that made Elsa’s heart race even faster than it already was. She gently let go of Elsa and snuggled back into her blankets.

“Well, I’m going to bed. I’ll see you in the morning for whatever your secret spirit mission is. Goodnight!”

Elsa crawled back over to her side of the tent, wrapping up in blankets as well. The blankets didn’t seem to warm her up at all; she was already warmer than she had ever been.

“Goodnight,” she whispered, closing her eyes.


	2. Chapter Two

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Just a little short chapter before the adventure picks up! Please enjoy and let me know what you think in the comments! :)

The light filtered softly through the slats in the goahti, flickering on Elsa’s eyelids. She yawned, squeezing her eyes shut. Today was going to be a good day. She was planning on heading up to the mountains in the northern part of the forest to meet with the elder earth giants. Since arriving in the forest, she had learned that there was a bit of a hierarchy in the earth giant community, with the oldest of the giants on top, and the youngest down on the bottom. The younger giants lived in the southern part of the forest, closer to the Northuldra settlements, while the older giants lived amongst the mountains in the north. Despite not entirely speaking the language of the giants, Elsa planned on communing with the revered elders to learn more about the magic of the world.

Ever since she had arrived in the Enchanted Forest, she had felt her magic grow. After reaching Ahtohallan, that magic had only grown further. The energy that surrounded her was incredibly powerful, and she needed to learn more about it. She had no idea why magic existed, or why it had chosen the Enchanted Forest as its place of residence. What was it? What did it do? Where did it come from? She had so many questions, and the north seemed like the best place to find answers.

She went to sit up, but there was something warm and heavy draped across her chest. She opened her eyes, blinking slightly in the morning light. There, sleeping peacefully in a bundle of furs and dark hair, was Honeymaren, her arm wrapped around Elsa’s middle  
Elsa felt heat rise to her cheeks and her ears burned. She had forgotten that she had fallen asleep in Honeymaren’s goahti and this was not a position she had expected to find herself. She reached out to grab Honeymaren’s wrist, her movements slow and deliberate. She did not want to wake the sleeping Northuldra, especially after she had been up all night searching for Elsa. Elsa grabbed the woman’s wrist and slowly moved it off her chest.

Honeymaren’s eyes fluttered suddenly. Elsa stopped moving her hand and held her breath. The other woman rolled forward, leaning on Elsa. Elsa lay stiff as a board. Her cheeks were bright red and she could feel her heart thumping in her ribcage. She had never been this close to anyone except for Anna.

There was a low creaking sound, and suddenly Honeymaren’s eyes were open. The woman stared sleepily up at Elsa. She blinked a few times, her breathing steady and slow. She gave a small smile to Elsa.

“Good morning,” she whispered.

A look of terror overcame Honeymaren’s peaceful features and she quickly pulled away from Elsa.

“Oh my god, I’m so sorry,” Honeymaren cried out. Her face was beet red and she knit her eyebrows together. “I’m kind of a crazy sleeper.”

Elsa smiled, her own discomfort subsiding.

“It’s totally fine,” Elsa replied. She sat up and pulled her knees into her chest.

Honeymaren’s eyes suddenly widened.

“What? Is something wrong?”

Honeymaren giggled, hiding her face behind her hand. She pointed to the floor of the goahti around Elsa. Elsa glanced down. The floor was covered in a thin sheet of ice.

“Shoot!” Elsa exclaimed. Now it was her turn to avert her eyes. She waved her hand and the ice vanished into a cloud of blue mist.

“I’m-I-I didn’t- “

Honeymaren placed a hand on Elsa’s shoulder.

“It’s fine.”

She smiled warmly, her face breaking into a beautiful grin.

Elsa smiled back. She could see the light brown of Honeymaren’s eyes in the morning light, the color of caramel, or maybe honey. Elsa chuckled slightly to herself at that. Only someone named Honeymaren would have eyes like honey.

“What, what is it?” Honeymaren asked.

“Nothing,” Elsa averted her gaze to the ground of the goahti again.

“I doubt it’s nothing, but if you say so…” Honeymaren stood up within the small hut and stretched her arms behind her head. “So, what is this secret spirit mission you’re going on that allowed me to sleep in so late?”

Elsa stood as well. She waved her hand and her rumpled outfit straightened itself out into a shimmering white pantsuit, much like the one she had arrived in.

“We’re going to the northern reach of the forest.”

Honeymaren stopped stretching abruptly, staring at Elsa with wide eyes.

“Hang on, the northern reach?”

Elsa nodded.

“You mean, the northern reach where no one has ever returned from? Even before the mist arrived in the forest?”

“Umm, I guess?”

“You can’t be serious.”

“What? What’s wrong with it? I need to speak to the elder earth giants, and they live in the northern reach. What could be so bad?”

“Maybe the deadly crevasses that cover the mountainside, or maybe the holes that appear out of nowhere and swallow unsuspecting victims whole, or maybe the whole idea of talking with the elder earth giants?”

Elsa swallowed hard.

“I…I didn’t know about any of that.”

“Please tell me you aren’t seriously thinking of going there?”

Elsa frowned, her brow furrowing together. She had to go north. The earth giants held the answers to so many questions she still had about magic, the world, and everything that had happened in the past few years of her life. If anyone would know, it would be them. She glanced at Honeymaren who was staring at her expectantly.

“I’m going. I need to see more of this forest, more of the magic. I need to be the best spirit that I can, but I can’t do that unless I know what magic is, or where it comes from. The earth giants would know that better than anyone. I need to speak to them.”

Honeymaren draped her arm around Elsa’s shoulder. Elsa could feel her heart rate pick up.

“Please, Elsa. It’s too dangerous. I don’t want you getting hurt.”

“Honeymaren, I’m going. You don’t have to come. I’m sorry I thought it would be a good idea to invite you.”

Elsa stood up and walked out of the goahti, leaving a trail of ice behind her.

“Elsa, wait.”

Honeymaren grabbed Elsa’s hand. Elsa couldn’t help but notice how warm her hands were. And how soft they were. And how nice it felt to have Honeymaren holding her hand.

Honeymaren sighed deeply and stared at Elsa.

“If I can’t stop you from going, I’m coming with you.”

Elsa gaped at the dark-haired woman.

“No, you shouldn’t,” Elsa let go of Honeymaren’s hand. “You said it yourself; it’s too dangerous.”

Honeymaren pulled Elsa’s hands back into hers.

“I’m alright with a little danger.”

Elsa swore she felt her heart explode in her chest.


	3. Chapter Three

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello again my party people! I have FINALLY gotten a chance to write some, so I decided to jump back into this story. Prepare for a little bit of angst followed by a little bit of adventure. That's right ladies; the gay train has left the station and these two beautiful girls are out into the wild blue yonder. Let me know what you think in the comments and I hope you have a great day! :):):):)

“Alright, well that’s everything.”

Honeymaren stepped back to admire her handiwork. The sled in front of her was filled to the brim with all assortments of blankets, food, pots, pans, tents, extra clothes, and anything else she thought to throw into the crowded cart. She sighed, satisfied with her work.

“What do you think, Elsa? Elsa?” She turned towards her friend, who was standing on the edge of the Northuldra settlement, staring into the woods.

“Hey, are you alright?” Honeymaren stepped forward and placed a hand on Elsa’s shoulder.

Elsa whirled in surprise.

“What? Oh, sorry. Guess I spaced out there for a bit.”

“Something on your mind?” Honeymaren took a step closer, rubbing Elsa’s back slightly.

“Oh, no.” Elsa shrugged and gently removed Honeymaren’s hand from her back. She walked over to examine the sled, hunching her shoulders as she walked. Honeymaren could have sworn the air felt colder than it did moments before.

“Hey, seriously, what’s going on?” Honeymaren turned after her. She threw a smile at Elsa. “You know you can tell me anything.

Elsa’s eyes softened and she smiled back, but she kept her shoulders tense.

“I just…” She stopped herself, wringing her hands out. Honeymaren gently draped her arm across her shoulder and guided her over to a nearby rock. They sat together, Elsa tense and cold in her arms.

Elsa sighed deeply, slumping forward slightly.

“I have no idea what I’m doing.”

Honeymaren grinned.

“That’s okay! I know all about going on trips like this. You won’t have to worry about a thing; I’ve set up a hundred campsites-”

“That’s…not what I meant,” Elsa interjected. “Sorry, that sounded rude.” She sighed again and raised her hands before her eyes. “I trust you, really. I just don’t know if I trust…well, myself.” She let her hands flop into her lap.

“What do you mean?” Honeymaren questioned, scooting closer to Elsa. She took her hands in hers. “I’m listening.”

“Well…I thought that maybe once I chose to stay up here with you-” She coughed. “I mean, the Northuldra, everything would just make sense. Like back in Ahtohallan. I thought I’d finally found my place in the world. That maybe the world would finally give me a break.” She looked up; her gaze strayed to the spindly birch trees that surrounded them. “I have no idea what the fifth spirit is, or what it…what I’m supposed to do. I just…” Her voice broke. Honeymaren felt something hot and wet land on her hands. She looked up to see tears filling Elsa’s bright blue eyes.

“Oh, Elsa…” She reached out and wrapped Elsa into a hug. She could feel Elsa’s hot tears spilling onto her shoulder. They stayed like that for a moment, Elsa sobbing slightly into Honeymaren’s chest, Honeymaren rubbing her hand soothingly on her back. “It’s okay, it’s okay,” she whispered in her ear.

After a moment, Honeymaren pulled back and held Elsa at arm’s length.

“And, hey. That’s what we’re going to do! We’re going to go talk to those grumpy old rock giants and find out all that we can about the fifth spirit. About you.”

Elsa smiled at the name for the elder spirits of the forest.

“I’m not sure they would like being called grumpy,” she chuckled as she wiped the tears from her eyes.

“Eh, I’m not scared of a couple piles of rock.” She pulled her sleeve up, flexing her bicep muscle in front of Elsa. “What about these, huh? ‘Think I can take ‘em?”

Elsa threw a hand up to cover her mouth, her cheeks already turning crimson. The air seemed to drop a few degrees, and there was definitely something cold against her leg. Honeymaren looked down to see a thin layer of ice spreading across the rock they sat on. She raised an eyebrow at Elsa, who rapidly waved the ice away. She coughed.

“Well, uh, I don’t know about that…”

Honeymaren laughed. “Well, if I can’t take them, then no one can.” She sat back, folding her arms across her chest. “C’mon, let’s get going. The daylight isn’t going to last forever.”

Honeymaren stood and offered her hand to Elsa.

“M’lady.”

Elsa blushed even brighter. She took Honeymaren’s hand, who then helped her stand.

“Thank you, good sir,” she grinned, curtsying before the Northuldran woman.

“My pleasure. I believe your chariot awaits,” she proclaimed in the poshest accent she could muster. She threw her arms out, gesturing to the sled filled with their supplies.

Elsa laughed, the tears already drying from her eyes.

* * *

After saying their goodbyes to the people of the village, a brief heated discussion between Honeymaren and Ryder over the proper way to pack a sled, and a flourish of magic or two from Elsa, the pair took off into the woods. Honeymaren steered the reindeer, while Elsa did  
her best to navigate.

“We need to be going a little bit more north,” Elsa stated, staring at the map in her hands.

“‘More north?’ You do realize that you can only go so north before you start going east or west, right?”

Elsa waved her hand dismissively, her attention focused on the map before her.

“Yeah, right. Can’t go too north. Just a little bit more north.”

Honeymaren chucked, turning the reindeer just a little bit more north.

After traveling through the crowded woods for a few hours, the trees cleared out into a barren and rocky landscape. Ice crusted the few places not covered in a blanket of fresh white snow. A few scraggly trees dotted the desolate land, defiantly raising their branches to the sky. The air was filled with a thin mist, reminding Honeymaren of the magical mist that had once blanketed her home. She slowed the reindeer down significantly for fear of the animal hurting herself. The only sound was the clip-clop of reindeer hooves and the slush of the sled moving through the snow. There was something eerie to the air, something sinister. Honeymaren tensed her shoulders, holding the reins a little closer to her chest.

“Are you sure this is the right way, Elsa?” she whispered, scared that her voice may break the silence around her.

Elsa held the map tightly in her hand but didn’t look at it.

“Something feels…something feels…” Elsa trailed off, clenching her hands tighter on the map. Honeymaren could see little fingers of ice creeping along the border. Elsa seemed to have vanished from the world around them, her mind somewhere else entirely.

Honeymaren looked at her friend. There was an ethereal glow that surrounded her. The air almost seemed to be surging around her, reeling at her presence. The sun, slowly setting to the west, cast a golden light onto Elsa’s face, making her look as if she was being lit up by the heavens. Elsa’s brow suddenly creased with worry.

“I…” she whispered.

Honeymaren glanced back at the map. It was now totally encased in ice. She gasped.

“Elsa! Snap out of it!” she shouted, shaking Elsa by the shoulders.

The faraway look in her eyes vanished in an instant.

“What?”

“Look at the map!” Honeymaren exclaimed, pointing to the ruined paper.

“Oh!” Elsa opened her mouth, and, in surprise, she dropped the map. It shattered on the floor of the sled, sending shards of ice in all directions. “Oh no! Oh no no no no no…”

Elsa bent over, frantically picking up the pieces. She pressed the pieces together, desperate to repair the map.

Honeymaren pulled on the reins, stopping the reindeer from continuing. She bent down and helped Elsa find the broken navigation.

“I’m so sorry, Honeymaren. I have no idea what happened. There was just this…” she trailed off again.

Honeymaren held up a handful of ice shards.

“It’s alright. I’ve got all the map right here!”

Elsa grimaced. She waved her hand and the ice disappeared. The icy shards that sat in Honeymaren’s hand suddenly turned to a ball of wet paper.

“Oh, that’s not good…” Honeymaren whispered. She looked up to see Elsa with her face in her hands.

“I’m sorry. We’re only on the first day, and I’ve already messed everything up,” she groaned.

Honeymaren glanced at the sopping mess that was their only form of navigation and back at the woman to her side. With a sigh, she dropped the pile of paper bits into the back of the sled and placed a hand on Elsa’s shoulder.

“It’s okay. It was an honest mistake.”

Elsa looked up at Honeymaren.

“I shouldn’t have brought you along. I’m only putting you in danger. This is all my fault. And now we’ll be lost out here and we’ll never make it back and now I’ve ruined everything and I don’t even know what everything is yet and the entire world seems like it is mad at me and there’s really weird feeling to the air, I just don’t know what it is and-”

Honeymaren held up her hand and Elsa stopped talking.

“Hey. It’s okay. Seriously. The only thing you messed up was our map, which is totally fine. I’m sure I brought an extra somewhere in that mess back there.” She nodded in the direction of the supplies behind them. “And you know, I think we’ve gone far enough for today. How about we call it a day and set up camp?”

Elsa nodded slowly.

“I’m sorry again.”

Now it was Honeymaren’s turn to groan.

“Oh, my goodness, if you say sorry one more time, I’ll give you something to be sorry for,” she chuckled.

Elsa raised her hands defensively.

“Sorry! Oh, shoot…”

Honeymaren playfully shoved her.

“Cut it out, you dork.”

Elsa smiled back at Honeymaren. Honeymaren felt something in her chest, something deep down that she hadn’t felt in quite a while. She coughed and hopped out of the sled. She walked over to Elsa and offered her her hand.

“M’lady.”

Elsa giggled and took her hand.

“Thank you, good sir.”


End file.
